Clomiphene Citrate is not an anabolic/androgenic steroid. Since it is a synthetic estrogen it belongs, however, to the group of sex hormones. In school medicine Clomiphene Citrate is normally used to trigger ovulation. Clomiphene Citrate also has a strong influence on the hypothalamohypophysial testicular axis. It stimulates the hypophysis to release more gonadotropin so that a faster and higher release of FSH (follicle stimulating hormone) and LH (luteinizing hormone) occurs. This results in an elevated endogenous (body's own) testosterone level. Clomiphene Citrate is especially effective when the body's own testosterone production, due to the intake of anabolic/androgenic steroids, is suppressed. In most cases Clomiphene Citrate can normalize the testosterone level and the spermatogenesis (sperm development) within 10- 14 days. For this reason Clomiphene Citrate is primarily taken after steroids are discontinued. At this time it is extremely important to bring the testosterone production to a normal level as quickly as possible so that the loss of strength and muscle mass is minimized. Even better results can be achieved if Clomiphene Citrate is combined with HCG or when Clomiphene citrate is used after the intake of HCG.

Paradoxically, although Clomiphene Citrate is a synthetic estrogen it also works as an anti-estrogen. The reason is that Clomiphene Citrate has only a very low estrogenic effect and thus the stronger estrogens which, for example, form during the aromatization of steroids, are blocked at the receptors. These would include those that develop during the aromatizing of steroids. This does not prevent the steroids from aromatizing but the increased estrogen is mostly deactivated since it cannot at-tach to the receptors. The increased water retention and the possible signs of feminization can thus be reduced or even completely avoided. Since the antiestrogenic effect of Clomiphene Citrate is lower than those found in Proviron, Nolvadex, and Teslac it is mainly taken as a testosterone stimulant. Clomiphene citrate is a medication that promotes the production of the body's own stimulating hormone, gonadotropin, which in turn increases the testosterone level. It is, for example, administered to women as a so-called anti-estrogen to trigger ovulation ("ovulation stimulator").

Originally developed as a female fertility aid, Clomiphene citrate has been popular among steroid users for quite some time now as a post-cycle therapy compound used to help recover natural testosterone production. The compound works by partially or completely blocking the effects of estrogen in the body. This is due to the fact that it is a synthetic estrogen with both agonist and antagonist properties. With a similar structure to that of tamoxifen citrate, Clomiphene citrate blocks the ability of estrogen to bind with receptors in certain tissues, these being located in the hypothalamus and being suprapituitary, although this is a somewhat contentious claim. Tamoxifen Citrate is selective to those receptors in the liver, breast, and bone. So in terms of use as a fertility drug in women, Clomiphene citrate helps to eliminate the negative feedback of estrogens on the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis and increases the production of luteinizing hormone and follicle stimulating hormone. This induces ovulation.Therefore if these results can be translated to strength athletes and bodybuilders, this ability to raise the levels of luteinizing hormone and follicle stimulating hormone should be quite impressive. An increase in these hormones will result in an increase in testosterone production in users. This of course is something that is desperately desired when coming off of anabolic steroids. If testosterone levels can be raised quickly after a cycle a user is much more likely to maintain more of his gains than if he suffered through a crash in testosterone levels and his natural production came back slowly, all the while having to combat the increased levels of estrogen and cortisol.

While it is true that Clomiphene citrate has many "anti-estrogen" properties, there are a multitude of better options. It's is relatively weak in comparison to tamoxifen citrate and the anti-aromatase compounds that are available are much more potent in terms of controlling and/or eliminating estrogenic side effects that are likely to develop. The primary duty of clomiphine citrate should be left to post-cycle therapy.

HOW DOES IT WORKS?

Of course due to the fact that there is little research to do with the use of Clomiphene citrate as it relates to steroid users, much of what we know about the dosing of it has been from anecdotal reports. For the most part users will maintain doses of the drug between 25 mgs to 150 mgs per day on a consistent basis. Often times users will "frontload" the compound using doses of between 200-300 mgs on the first day of their post-cycle therapy and then reduce the subsequent doses. However the side effects associated with large doses of the compound may hinder some individuals' abilities to do this.

Some users also advocate tapering the dose of Clomiphene citrate during the last few weeks of administration. However this is more a practice that is based upon theory rather than solid medical evidence of it's productivity.In terms of dosing length it seems that at least 3 weeks of Clomiphene citrate therapy is recommended by users. Of course each has their own preferences along with individual recovery schedules. Also the types of compounds used and the duration of a cycle will of course influence the time it takes for a user to recover and the need for a lengthy post-cycle therapy. Due to the lack of serious side effects associated with the drug, as well as the fact that there is no risk of toxicity with the Clomiphene citrate, users are able to use the compound for months on end with seemingly no significant negative consequences.

Male users generally find that a daily intake of 50-100 mg over a four to six weeks period will bring testosterone production back to an acceptable level. This raise in testosterone should occur slowly but evenly throughout the period of intake. Since an immediate boost in testosterone is often desirable, many prefer to combine Clomid with HCG for the first week or two after the steroids have been removed. The kick-start from HCG also helps to restore the normal ability for the testes to respond to endogenous LH, which may be hindered for some time after the cycle is ended due to a prolonged state of inactivity. Once the HCG is stopped, the user continues treatment with Clomid alone. HCG should not be used for longer than two or three weeks though, as the resulting increased testosterone and estrogen levels may again initiate negative feedback inhibition at the hypothalamus. When planning your ancillary drug program, it is also important to remember that injectable steroids can stay active for a long duration. Using ancillary drugs the first week after a long acting injectable like Sustanon has been stopped may prove to be wholly ineffective. Instead, the athlete should wait for two to three weeks, to a point where androgen levels will be diminishing. Here the body will be primed and ready to restore testosterone production.

Clomid and HCG are also occasionally used periodically during a steroid cycle, in an effort to prevent natural testosterone levels from diminishing. In many instances this practice can prove difficult however, especially when using strong androgens for longer periods of time. There is also no exact method for using the two drugs in this manner. Some have experimented by periodically administering small doses of HCG along with one or two tablets of Clomid, perhaps for a few days at a stretch followed by a longer break. An on/off schedule would be implemented; for fear that this combination may lose some effectiveness if used continuously for this purpose. This method of intake may prove to be effective, although it is really much more feasible to stimulate testosterone production after the cycle than to try and maintain it for the long duration during.

SIDE EFFECTS:

Despite these rather inconvenient side effects, for the most part Clomiphene citrate can be run for extended periods of time with no worries of serious negative consequences. Potentially things such as hot flashes, nausea, dizziness, and headaches may occur but anecdotal users report that these symptoms are quite rare. However emotional side effects along with vision problems are frequently reported with use of this drug. Visual trackers or blurry vision are often reported by users, even some who use extremely low doses of the compound. These are often reported to become more pronounced at night. However if this symptom becomes unbearable, it quickly dissipates after administration of the compound is ceased.

In terms of the emotional side effects associated with Clomiphene citrate, some users complain that they become depressed, irritable or more emotional in general when using the drug. This can primarily be explained by way of Clomiphene citrate being a synthetic estrogen. By introducing a type of estrogen into a user's system some effects should be expected. Coupled with the fact that the natural testosterone production of the user is already suppressed this obviously could lead to some difficulties. Of course some users find these effects much more pronounced than others, with many finding Clomiphene citrate intolerable while others have little to no side effects.

Another possible effect of use of the compound is increased acne. This is a direct result in the shifting hormonal balance that a user would be experiencing while coming off of anabolic steroids and the introduction of Clomiphene citrate to their system. An increase in production of seminal fluid may also be experienced by some users and therefore the volume of ejaculate may well noticeably increase as well.